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Tesla has reportedly come to an agreement with the Chinese government in Shanghai to construct a production plant in the city’s free-trade zone, possibly giving the carmaker a one-of-a-kind edge on the planet’s biggest market for electric vehicles. Details of the agreement, announced Sunday morning by The Wall Street Journal, are still being worked out. However, it is the first of its kind for an outside car manufacturer and could definitely cut production costs for Tesla cars sold in China. Further, the agreement is expected to exclude technology-sharing agreements that can discourage international companies from doing business there.
Tesla has been seeking a Chinese production line for a considerable length of time, and the Shanghai bargain started to come to light in June, following announcements that Tesla sold $1 billion worth of cars in China in 2016, and that it had received significant investment from Tencent Holdings, a Chinese tech giant. Tesla’s push into China confronted a major obstacle: Because of import duties, a Tesla costs around 50 percent more in China than in the United States. A plant in Shanghai’s free-trade zone would cut work and transportation costs. President Elon Musk said in 2015 that a processing plant in the nation could cut the cost of vehicles sold in China by a third.
WSJ writes, however, that cars delivered under the new production line are still liable to be considered “imports” and face a 25 percent duty. Foreign carmakers have only been able to keep away from that tax by forming joint ventures with local producers, which frequently include technology-sharing provisions. China is forcefully seeking total electrification of its vehicle armada, making it a fundamental market for Tesla. However, according to a few specialists, Chinese makers’ dependence on acquired intellectual property could hurt not only remote organizations hoping to contend there but development in clean vehicles more generally. Tesla picking up a foothold in China isn’t just good for the company but for the world.


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In the last week ended on December 9, mixed economic data drove equity indices lower. Investors and Wall Street are concerned over the possibility of a recession in the United States as the Federal Reserve remains rigid about lowering inflation rates.
The Dow Jones fell 2.8%, while indices such as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell by 3.4% and 4%, respectively, in the last five trading sessions. Treasury yields had a slow start to the week before rebounding higher. Crude oil prices continued to lose momentum as a worsening global outlook continued to impact demand. The price of the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 10% to $71 per barrel.
The Securities and Exchange Commission recently issued a new set of guidelines for companies that now have to disclose their crypto exposure to shareholders. The ripple effects following the collapse of FTX and other major crypto players in 2022 are now beginning to spread.
What next for the S&P 500 and investors?
The BLS or Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for November on Tuesday, which is an indicator of inflation. Prices are expected to rise 7.6% year over year, compared to the 7.7% gain witnessed in October and a peak of 9.1% in June.
Core inflation data excludes energy and food costs and is expected to rise 6.2% year over year, compared to 6.3% in October and a four-decade high of 6.6% in September.
The FOMC (Federal Open market Committee), which sets interest rates, will conclude the monetary policy meeting for December on Wednesday. Wall Street expects interest rates to increase by 50 basis points this month, setting benchmark rates between 4.25% and 4.5%. The Fed has increased benchmark rates by 375 basis points in 2022, which is the fastest monetary tightening cycle in more than 40 years.
Retail sales data for November will be reported on Thursday. A key indicator of consumer spending, retail sales might fall by 0.1% in November (compared to the prior month) and rise 7.9% year over year. Despite higher input prices, retail sales continue to surge higher.
Finally, the personal savings rate has fallen to the lowest level since 2005 to 2.3% as consumers are spending a higher proportion of their income to finance purchases.
Will the S&P 500 index experience another sell-off?
According to Rich Weiss, the chief investment officer at American Century Investment Management, the obsession with policy hikes of the Federal Reserve have blinded investors from economic realities.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Index is up 10% from 52-week lows despite weak economic data from housing and manufacturing and several earnings downgrades.
Weiss is worried the “pivot” narrative might blindside investors from noticing deteriorating fundamentals which might accelerate the sell-off next year.
Historically, by the time the Fed pivots and aims to lower interest rates, the economy is usually too beat-up, triggering a broader market sell-off.
He explained, “The storm’s coming now. Whether it’s going be a tropical rainstorm or a Category 4 hurricane is where people are betting. It’s just a question of how severe and long-lasting it’s going to be.”
The triple threat of red-hot inflation, earnings contraction, and a restrictive monetary policy will continue to act as headwinds for equity investors in 2023.
Since the 1970s, the stock market has fallen by 24% on average after a pivot towards a more accommodative monetary policy.

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Goodman Games plans to start a series of hardcover reprints of classic Judges Guild releases at archival quality. I assume the series will be released via Kickstarter.
This is damn exciting (and I'm sure will be damn expensive, but not as expensive as tracking down the originals on eBay.)
You can find out more about this and other Goodman Games upcoming products at the Spellburn Podcast Gen Con Special Report
Lyonesse is coming - The good folk at the Design Mechanism have received the proof copy of their forthcoming *Lyonesse *book: Lawrence Whitaker writes: “It's a big book – 510...
1 hour ago


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- Forty-one percent of independent restaurants are currently operating virtual brands to capitalize on persistent consumer demand for delivery, according to a report commissioned by Grubhub and executed by Technomic, which surveyed 350 independent operators from January 20-28, 2022.
- Sixty-eight percent of survey respondents say their virtual restaurants are permanent additions, and 46% plan to open three or more virtual concepts in the next 12 months. On average, restaurants that offer virtual brands offer five unique virtual concepts, the companies said.
- Virtual brands could support respondents’ desire for customizable direct ordering channels, as 97% of freelancers are important to these channels. Ninety-one percent of independent restaurants cited access to customer data as important, along with commission-free ordering (88%) and brand experiences (92%).
Overview of the dive:
About a third of survey respondents already have drop-shipping channels, and the report’s findings indicate that operators are increasingly reliant on digital marketing and ordering, said Kate Green, vice president of restaurant services. by Grubhub.
“Operations have changed dramatically for independent operators. They don’t just rely on their physical presence,” Green said. “The fingerprint of brands is becoming more and more important.”
Virtual brands could help bolster restaurants’ digital revenue streams. Green cited the low capital costs of operating virtual brands outside of the existing kitchen space as one of the reasons freelancers may be attracted to them.
Aggregators are also rolling out new platforms to help restaurant partners build their digital muscles. Grubhub Direct, for example, allows Grubhub partner restaurants to create their own branded sites, Green said. Grubhub still charges order fees on orders placed through Grubhub Direct sites, though Green described those fees as “pass-through” costs and said the service isn’t focused on increasing Grubhub’s revenue.
Online direct ordering channels can also help operators collect valuable consumer data, which survey respondents say is important for long-term planning and can help determine “changes to their business.” or their operations or the menu they might want to bring tomorrow and in the future”. said Green.
Controlling restaurant websites and customer data has become a legal issue. Some cities are suing delivery companies over allegations that delivery companies used restaurant branding without consent and sometimes created websites designed to appear as operator-owned websites.
Grubhub and Google have both faced lawsuits this year alleging they used deceptively branded restaurants to capture orders. Chicago sued Grubhub and DoorDash in 2021, alleging the companies advertised restaurants without their consent. Grubhub sued New York in December after the City Council passed laws requiring delivery aggregators to share customer data with restaurants that request it and established a licensing system for delivery companies.


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The popular browser add-on called Ghostery blocks tracking code on websites, improving page load speeds and narrowing a user's footprint on the web. It's often touted as an essential part of the online privacy toolkit, and made the list in our recent guest blog about internet privacy.
It should be made clear that opting-out of sharing information within Ghostery excludes you from this data collection, and Evidon reportedly abides by this request.
Evidon's co-founder and CEO, Scott Meyer, says there is no conflict in the two roles his company plays in offering users a tool to hide from the ad industry while also providing data about those users to advertising companies.
"Anything that gives people more transparency and control is good for the industry," says Meyer.
Evidon sells two services to its clients. The first profiles the tracking code from a website, and allows site operators to view where it is coming from and how it affects the speed of their pages. The second provides advertisers with statistics on how common trackers from other companies are on the web.
The first, says Meyer, is very important because site owners often don't realize what tracking code from other sites is being used on their visitors. "It's usual for the operator of a website to say, 'These 10 companies on my site I know about and these 10 I didn't,' " says Meyer.
Not everyone is convinced that the duality of Evidon's role, straddling the line between consumer privacy and the advertising industry, is as harmless as Meyer suggests.
Evidon sells a significant amount of data to ad companies wanting to ensure their compliance with the AdChoices program. AdChoices is supposed to help people opt-out of targeted ads, and Evidon has a vested interest in the program's success in competition with alternatives like "Do Not Track" features that are becoming standard in some browsers.


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Kolkata, Mar 9: Huge quantity of explosive substances were seized from a goods vehicle in Chitpur area of the city, a senior Kolkata Police officer said Saturday. Acting on a tip-off, police officers intercepted a goods vehicle near Tala bridge on the BT Road in the early hours of Saturday and seized 27 gunny bags containing about 1,000 kg of potassium nitrate, the IPS officer said.
Potassium nitrate is used in making explosives. Two persons - the driver and his helper have been arrested, he said. "The vehicle was coming from Odisha and was heading towards North 24 Parganas district. We have arrested the driver and the helper of the goods vehicle. We are interrogating the duo and trying to find out more details from them," the officer added.


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Dominating Trend In 2024 - Online Gambling
Spectrum Gaming Group is an independent research and professional services company that has internet and mobile features that dominate in almost half of their predictions. Recently, they released the ninth annual list tracking 21 leading trends for the forthcoming year in the gambling industry and the results are quite interesting.
A growing influence
There will be growing influence of internet and mobile channels in the US in 2013, even with the growing competition between individual states for the gamblers' dollars. It might be a tough road but it will happen. The related forecasts predict that several issues need to be overseen and covered first.
There will be an increase in lottery and gaming jurisdiction that comes online so age-verification and geolocation software will become increasingly important. Providers that can best demonstrate reliability, accuracy and ability to inhibit fraud and errors will be in particularly high demand.
Internet and mobile based social networking and electronic gaming will be the "next big thing" in gambling, which comes as no surprise. social gaming and online gambling grouping will continue, creating new competitors and putting pressure on regulators to oversee the implementation of social gaming.
Friend or foe
Decision making about eliminating or regulating Internet/sweepstakes cafes will have the states moving much more swiftly. They will deem them as either financially harmful or a revenue source. Lottery will have a greater online presence and therefore will have to consider privatization or appointing private management.
Traditional gaming and state lotteries will be required to accelerate their merging, compliments of the prospect of internet gaming. More Native Americans are getting into internet gaming with free-play poker sites so expect debates to intensify on opening up the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act for internet gambling purposes.
Regardless of size, more tribal operators will seek a visible presence in online gambling. This will cause the states to feel pressure from the tribal operators to either withdraw or renegotiate requirements as state governments pursue online gambling through state lotteries. Also, online gambling companies will seek global properties in certain states to gain licensing footing for Internet operations.


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The tug-of-war has come at a time when the Board of Control for Cricket in India is already under pressure to revisit its sponsorship deals. If the India-China stand-off at Galwan isn’t resolved soon, the BCCI may have to let go of Chinese smartphone maker
However, with Nike, one of the oldest partners of the BCCI, it is in the board’s hands to retain the partnership that dates back to 2006.
“Nike’s current deal as ‘kit partner’ of the BCCI is ending in September. It was a four-year deal worth Rs 370 crore, which included Rs 85 lakh per match fee and a royalty of over Rs 30 crore to the board,” said a top source in the BCCI. “Nike’s business has greatly suffered during the lockdown and it is seeking extension for lost time at a discount. The board may not agree and we may have to come up with tender for the position.”
Team India has had to call off 12 international matches during the lockdown. These included South Africa’s tour to India, and India’s tour to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
Both Nike and the BCCI did not respond to ET’s queries.
As part of the deal, Nike has been supplying apparels, footwear and other merchandise to team India free of cost.
“Knowing the BCCI, I doubt they will agree to a contract extension or even a discount,” said a sports marketing expert, who has dealt with the board in the past. “The BCCI should not play hardball now or they will see risk alienating sponsors who are in dire straits due to the economic slump.”
Sports marketing experts feel that this was the right time for the brands to bargain and get the best deals.
“Globally, as live sports have come to a grinding halt, constant discussions have taken place between governing bodies, leagues and franchisees about the lost time for sponsors,” said R Ramakrishnan, a cofounder at sports marketing firm Baseline Ventures. “Preserving and extending these partnerships should be the main objective right now.”
Ramakrishnan said one way of reassuring the sponsors would be to extend the contract equivalent to the amount of lost time or compensate it in the next tenure.


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Entries in 'US News' (40)
Fargen Amplification is celebrating its 15th anniversary with the launch of a limited edition version of its High Gain Classic 50.
US retail giant, Guitar Center, could be set to change hands, with Ares Management in advanced talks with the firm’s owner, Bain Capital, over a possible acquisition.
As if the prospect of free Barry Manilow tickets wasn’t enough, fans of the star can also do their bit for the Escambia County School District by donating their old ...
Third Man Records, Jack White’s record label cum record store, has released a special effects pedal as part of Black Friday.
New York-based publisher New Bay Media has introduced a dedicated acoustic website in the form of Acousticnation.com – a new channel of GuitarWorld.com.
Throughout September, Roland will be giving away one of its BOSS guitar signed by a famous guitar hero as part of its Big BOSS Giveaway initiative.
An unknown elderly lady recently brought the Coalition Drum Shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA, to a standstill with an apparently impromptu and rather impressive in-store showcase of her not ...
On Saturday, July 13th, the NAMM executive committee saw new chairman Larry Morton announce a number of new appointments during Summer NAMM 2013, while also paying tribute to outgoing chairman ...
The iconic UK manufacturer is teaming up with Hartke amps to support bass legend Billy Sheehan's 'At: Guitar Center' workshop tour.
After debuting its latest body style at the Winter NAMM show, Taylor has unveiled an all-koa version of the Grand Orchestra at Musikmesse.
The latest offerings from the American guitar manufacturer are limited edition 400- and 600-series guitars in exotic tonewoods.
The industry's biggest retailer has appointed former Best-Buy Canada president and COO, Mike Pratt, as its newest Chief Executive Officer.
Coinciding with the launch of GearTunes.com, a number of MI brands are coming together to present the Ultimate Speaker Demo.
US guitar manufacturer Jackson has responded to the quick rise in popularity of seven and eight-string guitars with the addition of new USA select models.
American amp manufacturer Fargen, has released the second amp in its line that honours the Beatles' guitarist.
Worldwide market research firm, IBIS World, has completed a report on the state of the MI retail industry in the US.


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- Top CMOs say virtual events will increase in volume with 77% reporting virtual events are now a permanent element of their organization’s event mix, but leaders are struggling to make them unique
- In 2022, only 23% of event attendees consider virtual events unique, with 33% considering them to be engaging; Talent and technology are the top barriers to virtual event success and technology partners are needed to help fill gaps to differentiate and diversify
SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Airmeet, the number one virtual and hybrid event platform, today released a new commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Airmeet titled “The Right Virtual Event for the Right Audience is a Catalyst for Growth.” The study finds that, when not executed correctly, virtual events can harm a brand’s ability to connect with target audiences. The study dives into key aspects that make up an organization’s event mix and sheds light on the importance of having the right people, partners and technology in place.
The study, a survey of 165 virtual events decision-makers, CEOs, and marketing executives across North America, examines how these leaders view their organizations’ virtual events strategies, goals, and challenges. Overall, the biggest challenges for event organizers are creating unique events and differentiating from competitors, understanding a customer’s journey, lack of talent and technology. Without these event challenges addressed, the ability to demonstrate event ROI is weakened yet remains essential, given current economic conditions.
Over 80% of event decision-makers are planning either the same or more virtual events during the next 12 months as they did last year, while 77% said virtual events are now a permanent fixture of their organization’s event mix. Yet, under a quarter of attendees find virtual conferences unique or personalized, which is found to negatively impact a brand’s reputation, its ability to maintain or increase future attendance and prevent it from gaining any success virtual events can bring when done correctly.
The global pandemic accelerated the necessity to transform how businesses connect with customers in a more “human way” and still meet key business objectives. It is why Airmeet offers unlimited event hosting of any size – solidifying the importance of an attendee-first, purpose-built mission. Airmeet is the only platform to do so.
Additional findings include:
- 64% are seeking of organizations are seeking technology partners to fill the critical need for more effective measurement
- Virtual event staff shortages remain one of the top pre-event challenges and 74% of respondents are currently looking to obtain talent with the right skills
“Digital engagements are now a permanent part of how people do business, socialize, and network. Events play a key role in a customer’s journey. When paired with the right experience at the right time, events can turn undecided buyers into customers,” says Mark Kilens, Chief Marketing Officer at Airmeet.
Virtual events are most successful when the right type of event is offered to the right audience at the right phase of the customer journey.
The study came after Airmeet released its new Event Experience Cloud (EXC). The EXC includes four all-new products — AirStudio, AX360, AirControl, and AirIntel — and is a much-needed answer to the stagnant event landscape. Each product is designed to help B2B marketers, Event Marketing leaders, and HR leaders host the kind of event experiences everyone deserves.
For additional information, please visit:
Airmeet is the world’s first Event Experience Cloud (EXC) built to help people join together from anywhere. More than 6,500 organizations use Airmeet to grow their brand and revenue through immersive experiences and meaningful connection. Airmeet’s platform supports all event formats, including conferences, webinars, meetups, workshops, town halls, career fairs, expos, and more. Founded in 2019, by IIT alumni and ex-Common Floor executives Lalit Mangal, Manoj Kumar Singh, and Vinay Kumar Jasti. Airmeet is a 290-person remote-first team based out of six countries and has raised a total of USD $50 million in venture capital.


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Black Friday: Pushing, pandemonium and stun guns at Wal-Mart
The retail behemoth has had a long 12 hours since it opened its doors to bargain-hunters at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving night.
First came news that a woman had squirted pepper spray at fellow shoppers in an attempt to snatch a discounted Xbox in what one official called a display of "competitive shopping." Then, police in San Leandro said a customer had been shot in an attempted robbery at a Wal-Mart there.
Reports of more shootings and brawls began trickling in from across the country.
Witnesses in Buckeye, Ariz., told Phoenix television station KSAZ that police officers slammed a grandfather onto a concrete floor after he tucked a video game into his waistband while lifting his grandson out of the way of surging crowds. A video purporting to show the incident, along with onlookers using strong language at officers, is here.
In Florence, Ala., news channel WAFF said police used a stun gun to twice shock an unruly Wal-Mart shopper. The 22-year-old was then arrested and charged with public intoxication, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Twitter user HurrAKAneCam19 tweeted a video (below) of Wal-Mart customers shoving each other to get at merchandise and then wrote "my sis almost lost her life for a $2 waffle maker!!!!"
-- Tiffany Hsu
Photo: A San Leandro police officer, right, holds a bloody shirt as evidence is gathered at the scene of a shooting at a Wal-Mart store on Friday. Credit: Jane Tyska / Bay Area News Group / Associated Press
Video credit: Ms. Clark to you, via Twitvid


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The ever-growing numbers of Internet-using teenagers in the UK have begun to spend a significant amount of their vast disposable income over the Web, and are spending much more time online than ever before. It is estimated that by 2004, the proportion of teenagers buying online will be 49 per cent, an increase of a 188 per cent since 2001.
A report by PrePay Technologies, which provides pre-paid Internet services, called UK Teens Online, says that 2001 was a turning point for UK teenagers to enter the world of e-commerce.
The report highlights that, of the 5.2 million 12to 18 year-olds in the UK, some 85 per cent have used the Internet more than any other age group. This group also spends on an average 630 minutes a month browsing the Web. As a consumer group, teens have huge spending power, accounting for about &£16bn a year. The majority of this money is spent on music, computer games, videos and clothes, which have become the bread and butter of mainstream e-commerce. But what is interesting is that, even though almost 80 per cent of all teens say that they want to shop online, there are often barriers preventing them from doing so. One of these barriers is that many retailers only accept credit-card payments, which are off-limits to those aged under 18.
This problem may account for the slow uptake of online shopping among teens. Though nearly 68 per cent were using the Internet two years ago, only 11 per cent were actually buying online. However, the number of teen online shoppers increased to 17 per cent last year, and PrePay Technologies expects this number to grow even more dramatically over the next few years, as accessible payment methods become more widespread among teenagers. The research adds that Internet usage among teens is expected to level off at 89 per cent within the next two years.
For teens, price is often the biggest draw to online shopping. Although teens are very brand conscious consumers in the offline world, online buying decisions are more likely to be based on value for money. More than 50 per cent of teenagers believe price is the most important consideration when buying online, followed by website design and brand name, at 16 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.
The inability of teenagers to pay autonomously or, at least without the intervention of a parent, has been a major barrier to teenagers’ online buying. UK e-commerce is heavily dependent on credit cards, and sites that do not accept alternative payment methods effectively shut out most teenage buyers.
Though the Solo Card is familiar to 59 per cent of teenagers, comparatively few (seven per cent) have actually used it to make an online purchase. Arguably, this is because of the relatively low penetration of Solo among online retailers, as well as fears about divulging bank details over the Internet. Security is an often-cited concern among teenagers, and the prospect of using a card that is directly linked to a bank account is a daunting one.
The most used payment method for buying online is still a parent’s credit card. However, awareness among teenagers of alternative payment methods, which allow them to buy independently, is increasing. The three leading teen-specific payment methods in the UK – Splash Plastic, Smart Creds and Dubit – have established significant awareness among teenagers, even though these payment methods appeared only relatively recently. Some 21 per cent of teenagers have heard of the Splash Plastic payment method, with five per cent having used it to buy goods online. In addition, 20 per cent have heard of Smart Creds with just under one per cent having used it to buy something online.
However, the research concludes that the online teen market is an increasingly important one in the UK, and has yet to reach its full potential, even though the traditional barriers to teenage online shopping are steadily being overcome, and a steady, rapid, growth is being experienced.
Teenagers are in many ways the ideal customers, with 90 per cent of their income being disposable and their expenditure being remarkably resilient to most economic fluctuations. Since a majority of teenage purchases are of products that are widely available online, the teen market is one that can no longer be ignored by the UK’s online retailers.


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New Security Flaw Discovered In Intel Haswell Chips That Could Affect Cloud Services
According to researchers at the University of California, Intel’s Haswell chips might suffer for a serious security flaw that allows attackers to bypass Address Space Layout Randomization. ASLR is responsible for protecting the system from buffer overflow attacks.
As the name suggests, ASLR randomises the memory space which means attackers have to guess the area of the memory which currently contains the data they wish to attack. However, in the case of Haswell chips, the branch target buffer table used by the branch predictor can be exploited as a way to determine where in the memory specific code is in.
While the security breach itself doesn’t allow for remote execution of codes, it can lead to privilege escalation exploits or even breaking free of sandboxes and virtual machines. One field that can be severely impacted by this is cloud service providers.
Theoretically, the exploiters can break free of their own VM server provided by the cloud service and then head on to attack other customers which are using the same cloud service. While the exploit can affect any OS, some might be impacted less severely.
Intel has reported that they are investigating the issue so we hope to hear back from them soon. Despite it being a hardware issue, a microcode update may be able to fix the issue. However, that may lead to a performance hit depending on what is required for the fix.
For now, there is no word yet if pre-Haswell CPUs are impacted or post-Haswell CPUs as well. That doesn’t mean that those generations of Intel processors are immune from other issues. Major bugs are pretty much a given when it comes to newer hardware.
Another famous issue which Intel faced was with Sandybridge processors where SATA-II ports would fail over time forcing Intel to issue a recall order on the affected 67-series motherboards and processor sales were put on hold for a while.
Openly admits his dislike of all things Apple and is a complete Android fanboy. Whenever he looks at something touch enabled or VR, be prepared for a massive geek out. Loves spending his free time experimenting with various Android ROMs.


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For two years straight, Kylie Jenner was the top-earning star when it came to Instagram, racking in an average of $1.27 million per sponsored post.
Though she’s still making top-dollar for her posts today, it turns out that the makeup mogul’s earnings slightly dropped, and she is no longer the highest-paid celebrity on Instagram. Instead, the honor has now gone to another famous influencer who just so happens to be the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.
Kylie Jenner’s average estimated earnings dropped after Forbes controversy
For the past two years, Jenner has held the title of the “youngest self-made billionaire” in the world. Though many argued the “self-made” aspect, no one really questioned Jenner’s massive net worth, considering her lucrative beauty business, involvement in Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and her lavish lifestyle.
But in May 2020, Forbes, who donned the makeup mogul the “youngest self-made billionaire,” revoked her billionaire status after accusing her of falsified official tax documents and lying about her wealth.
In a shocking report entitled “Inside Kylie Jenner’s Web Of Lies — And Why She’s No Longer a Billionaire,” Forbes claimed that Jenner and her mother, Kris Jenner, inflated the success of her beauty company, Kylie Cosmetics. They also alleged that the makeup mogul isn’t as well-off as she’d led everyone to believe.
“Kylie’s business is significantly smaller, and less profitable than the family has spent years leading the cosmetics industry and media outlets,” the outlet reported.
After re-evaluating her yearly earnings, Forbes estimated that Jenner’s actual net worth is just under $900 million.
Nearly two months after Forbes published that scathing report, Jenner found herself losing another title she’s held onto for years: the No. 1 Highest-Paid Star on Instagram.
According to Hopper HQ’s fourth annual Instagram Rich List, the makeup mogul no longer holds the top spot as her estimated earnings per post fell 22% following the Forbes controversy.
Instead of making around $1 million per post as she did before, Jenner now earns an estimated average of $986,000, landing her in No. 2 spot in Hopper HQ’s rankings.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is now the highest-paid star on Instagram
After calculating how much celebrities made per Instagram post for 2020, Hopper’s HQ has crowned its newest top-earning star.
According to Hopper, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is now the No. 1 highest-paid star on Instagram. Apparently, the actor is the only star who makes more than $1 million per post on average.
Footwear News reports that Johnson’s estimated price per Instagram post has grown 15% since last year when he earned an average of $882,000, coming in at No. 6 on Hopper’s Instagram Rich List.
As a partner of American fitness apparel manufacturer Under Armour, Johnson often shares posts promoting shoes, apparel, and headphones under his Project Rock line. He also endorses Teremana Tequila with his 188 million Instagram followers.
Right under Johnson and Jenner on Hopper’s Rich List is soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, who earns an estimated $889,000 per post.
Jenner’s older sister, Kim Kardashian West, nabbed the fourth spot on the list for the third straight year, racking in an estimated average of $858,000 per post.


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Ghana on Tuesday launched the 2020 National Chocolate Day celebrations with a call for patronage and usage of “Made in Ghana Chocolate”.
Mrs Barbara Oteng Gyasi, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, who launched the programme, encouraged the use of chocolate as a ‘Gift of Love’ to all during the celebration.
This year’s celebration will commence from February 10 and climaxed on February 14, on the theme; “My Chocolate Experience: My Holistic Well-Being”.
Mrs Oteng Gyasi said the Ministry, in 2005, instituted the National Chocolate Day to coincide with Valentine‘s Day, February 14, to promote the consumption of Made-in-Ghana chocolate and cocoa based products.
She said it was also to position cocoa and the chocolate experience as a strong element of the Ghana tourism experience, saying this had been largely successful with the Day being an important feature of the tourism calendar of events.
She said this year’s celebration would begin with a Digital Campaign Competition where contestants would post a picture of themselves enjoying chocolate or any product produced with chocolate at a hospitality establishment on social media.


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Upsell Ecommerce has recently launched its groundbreaking marketplace management service for online sellers. The service offers a comprehensive solution for managing accounts on popular online marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. With Upsell Ecommerce, sellers can now easily manage their accounts, streamline their operations, and boost their sales on these platforms.
The company’s new service is designed to automate various aspects of marketplace management, including inventory management, order processing, and customer service. With Upsell Ecommerce, sellers can seamlessly handle all their transactions on different marketplaces from a single, user-friendly dashboard.
In addition to account management, Upsell Ecommerce also provides assistance to sellers who have had their accounts suspended or deactivated on these platforms. The company’s team of experts works closely with sellers to help them reinstate their accounts and get back to selling quickly, They used to provide the amazon appeal to reinstate accounts.
“We understand the challenges that online sellers face in managing their accounts on multiple marketplaces,” said the spokesperson of Upsell Ecommerce. “That’s why we have developed a comprehensive solution that simplifies the process and helps them focus on what they do best – selling their products.”
With the launch of Upsell Ecommerce’s new service, online sellers can now take advantage of a revolutionary platform that streamlines their operations and boosts their sales on Amazon, Etsy, and eBay


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A transparent and tamper-proof distributed ledger is poised to transform outdated methods of tracking and authenticating goods in the supply chain
An inherent ability to allow more secure, transparent and easy tracking of transactions and objects has piqued interest in blockchain among global supply chains.
Certainly, many major players have this year declared they are ready to bet big on this form of distributed ledger.
Global shipper Maersk says it will launch an industry-wide trading platform powered by IBM blockchain. The company’s bosses hope it could “form a utility that brings standards across the entire ecosystem”.
Essentially, Maersk wants to digitise the entire supply chain, tracking online and in real time tens of millions of shipping containers globally from end to end, a process that normally involves up to 30 people and more than 200 different communications.
Beyond tracking containers, the cryptography-secured online ledger that blockchain provides, paired with electronic tracking technology, could also prevent product counterfeiting and fraud, putting an end to scams like the 2013 horsemeat scandal or more recent reports that real cat fur is being sold on the high street as faux fur.
Read the full article here
This article also appeared in The Times.


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A Virginia chapter of the National Organization for Women attempted to boycott Wegmans Food Markets in the state because they sell Trump Winery products.
Instead, the protest backfired and the wine sold out within hours:
A spokeswoman for Wegmans, a New York-based company, told Fox News on Monday that Trump wines flew off its shelves last week. Out of 10 locations, only its Charlottesville store did not completely sell out.
Jo Natale, Wegmans‘ vice president of media relations, told the network that 100 bottles of Trump Winery Meritage and 20 bottles of the Cru remained at its Charlottesville location as of Friday evening.
Natale also had this to say about the failed protest:
“For various reasons, we are sometimes asked to stop selling a product. Our response is always the same, no matter the product: How a product performs is our single measure for what stays on our shelves and what goes,” Ms. Natale says.
It looks like Trump wine won’t be leaving Wegmans shelves any time soon.


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Video by The Packer. Display bin renderings courtesy of Avocados From Mexico.
Shoppable recipes, digital rebates and in-store point-of-sale materials are among the elements of the Avocados From Mexico campaign leading up to the Super Bowl.
“Avocados From Mexico will continue to boost sales and volume by elevating consumer engagement to highlight shoppers’ love of avocados,” Maggie Bezart-Hall, vice president of trade and promotions, said in a news release. “Supporting the overall Savor Every Moment shopper communications platform, our robust Guac Nation marketing program will demonstrate how consumers can score Big Game flavor and savor every moment of their gameday celebration and help drive basket ring for retailers.”
As part of the promotion, consumers can receive a $6 rebate when they purchase three avocados, one Ritas 12-pack and one five-ounce bottle of Tabasco. A $4 rebate is available when shoppers buy three avocados and a bottle of Tabasco. The three items are also featured in three “shoppable” recipes on the Guac Nation landing page.
Consumers can have the ingredients for any of the recipes automatically added together to an online shopping cart of a grocery delivery provider in their area.
“This year’s recipe playbook is more delicious than ever, with chef-inspired recipes,” Dianne Le, associate director of shopper marketing at Avocados From Mexico, said in the release. “Each comes with the perfect flavor pairings from our partners Ritas and Tabasco brand. Our three flavorful categories are teaming up to bring three areas of the store together with innovative co-branded displays offering shoppers winning flavors that help elevate their gameday taste experience and emphasize the versatility of avocados.”
In-store marketing includes large and small co-branded bins with side shelves and side stackers for partner products, according to the release. Point-of-sale material, in-store radio promotion and retail-specific programming are also part of the campaign.


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I recently read an article about the “future of procurement,” in which the authors highlighted how the procurement function will evolve from one exclusively focused on cost control to one that plays a vital role in the organization. Words such as “total value generators” and “solution developers” were used to describe what was set to be the new role of procurement professionals. As I read this, it felt like déjà vu: you know, when you experience something that you’re sure you’ve experienced before
Why are we still talking about “value beyond cost” as the future of procurement? The same narrative has been around for at least a decade.
Capgemini’s CPO survey from 2010 highlights how procurement leaders shared their vision for using the economic crisis as a springboard to elevate the function’s role. Back then, there was a similar vision for “the future of procurement.” It used slightly different words, but overall carried the same message: Procurement is set to do much more than deliver savings. Fast forward to 2019 — a Gartner survey ranks supplier relationships and responsible sourcing as higher priorities than merely delivering cost savings.
Why do we keep hearing the same story over and over again? The answer is simple: in most cases, procurement as a function has failed to evolve. Of course, there are exceptions, where a handful of procurement organizations are regarded as a source of innovation and key to their organization’s competitive advantage. But based on hundreds of client conversations and endless articles highlighting how procurement is set to evolve, the critical mass of procurement organizations is still lagging.
A Second Opportunity for Procurement
Almost a decade ago, procurement played a leading role in helping organizations survive the 2009 economic crisis by supporting recovery and fueling growth. Some procurement leaders used the limelight the crisis offered to evolve their role in the organizations, but many of them quietly faded into the background once again and failed to capitalize on the opportunity.
The COVID pandemic has given procurement a second chance to play a leading role. What started as a “supplier issue” quickly became an end-to-end supply chain issue, where procurement had to play an active role in planning for customer demand shifts, understanding business product strategy to prioritize supplier capacity and anticipating supplier financial failure. All of this with a relentless focus on securing supply availability, controlling costs and protecting cash. Once again, as we see procurement in the limelight, the question is: will it capitalize on this opportunity or will it fail — yet again — to evolve its value proposition?
The Road Ahead
COVID will undoubtedly have a profound impact on how companies operate and how they win over customers’ hearts and minds. Priorities and business strategies will change. When things are in flux, people’s minds open up and everything is possible. It’s time to shape procurement’s role once and for all.
Procurement organizations that have evolved in the last decade share three common themes. These are: a willingness to experiment with digital technologies to drive efficiency; a fundamental shift in how they collaborate and innovate with their supply base; taking a lead role in enabling the sustainability of their supply chains through responsible sourcing.
- Going digital. While most still focus on gaining spend visibility, leaders are experimenting with advanced use cases. For example, cases include using analytics in high tech to identify the best time to replace a component based on its life cycle analysis or anticipating supplier performance given an increase in demand. The Danish shipping company Maersk has taken robotic process automation as a key enabler of efficiency, deploying its “Holger” robots to automate repetitive tasks, and in some cases, handle parts of the requisitioning process.
- Redefining supplier collaboration. Much has been written on this topic for over a decade, using a slew of terms to describe it such as supplier relationship management (SRM), supplier collaboration and innovation (SC&I) or even TrueSRM. These are different terms used for the same desired outcome. The real difference lies in whether companies are truly able to evolve their approach to how they create value with their suppliers. And it’s not just about finding a handful of strategic suppliers to partner with. It’s about ensuring that a critical mass of suppliers regards your organization as a preferred customer. This means launching a holistic approach to strengthening such relationships, whether it’s recognizing suppliers for their contributions as General Motors does or enabling established suppliers and startups to innovate on your behalf, like AkzoNobel’s “Paint the Future” supplier innovation ecosystem.
- Taking sustainability in the supply chain beyond compliance. For some, responsible sourcing efforts mainly focus on managing risks by ensuring supplier compliance to minimum requirements. For leaders, responsible sourcing is an opportunity to enhance their brand’s value proposition and win customers over. Procurement teams at Intel and Unilever are going much further than compliance and dedicating resources to upskill their supply base where needed to ensure sustainable practices. BMW recently announced it will include suppliers’ carbon footprints as a decision criterion in its contract award processes. Other companies like Mars, Diageo and ABInBev have taken this even further, establishing the role of chief procurement and sustainability officers.
Procurement missed the opportunity 10 years ago. Today, it has a second chance. The question is: will procurement use this opportunity to stay relevant, or will it quietly fade into insignificance once again?
Gartner Supply Chain


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Viet Nam, Thailand strive to realize trade goal of US$25 billion
VGP – Viet Nam and Thailand have agreed to double efforts to soon realize the trade goal of US$25 billion through further facilitation of goods flows.
The agreement was reached by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin at their meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Japan 50th Year Commemorative Summit in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday.
Both sides also agreed to push forward cooperation in digital transformation, green conversion and circular economy while strengthening cooperation in defesen, security, and transnational crime combat.
Prime Minister Pham suggested Thailand share experience in tourism development with Viet Nam.
The Thai Prime Minister said he will pay an official visit to Viet Nam to co-chair the fourth Joint Cabinet Meeting in 2024.
The two pair agreed on the need to strengthen ASEAN's solidarity and unity as well as Mekong Sub-region cooperation, support ASEAN's common positions on the East Sea issue, and other regional and international issues of shared concerns.
Thailand is the biggest ASEAN trade partner and the 9th largest investor in Viet Nam.


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International Market Centers (IMC) has announced it will present two webinars exploring post-COVID-19 retail strategy as a planning tool for its Summer 2020 markets. Presented together by Atlanta Market (August 13-18) and Las Vegas Market (August 30-September 3) relevant topics include how top retailers have adapted their businesses to the new normal and tips for updating stores designs for reopening.
Ekornes, Inc. has announced that its Morganton, N.C. assembly plant will now produce power sofas, including Stressless Mary and Emily, along with the new Stressless dining program to be launched at the August Las Vegas Market.
Webinar dates for Las Vegas Market’s signature FIRST LOOK program have been announced. The two 30-minute, CEU-accredited sessions will be presented on July 29 and Aug. 5 in advance of Summer 2020 Market.
Las Vegas Market has announced the webinar dates for its signature FIRST LOOK program. The two 30-minute, CEU-accredited sessions will be presented on July 29 and Aug. 5 in advance of Summer 2020 Market.
Las Vegas Market has announced its lineup of virtual programming to be presented before, during and after the summer 2020 market, Aug. 30 – Sept. 3.
Steelyard, the premier business platform for professional interior designers, took their successful Steelyard Designers Lounge to the Las Vegas Market, bringing top-tier business sessions, collaborative networking opportunities, and support for home furnishings and décor associations to attendees at the January show.
Large retail chains and major independents actively shopped Troy, NC-based Capel Rugs, creating an especially busy Winter Las Vegas Market for the company as buyers shopped the line for fresh looks to spice up their floors. Alongside these retailers was the contingent of smaller merchants and independent designers that regularly visit the rug source’s popular showroom in the World Market Center’s Building A.


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On 30th August, 2013 it was formally announced that Austeng was the successful industry partner of the State Government Skilling The Bay Geelong Future Industry Project. This project allocated $500,000 – funding to one innovative project that demonstrated capacity to transfer R&D from Deakin University into local industry to generate business opportunities and sustainable employment as well as training opportunities.
Austeng is working with local bio-tech company Cytomatrix Pty Ltd (in conjunction with Deakin University) who has innovative patented technology relating to “short” nanofibres. The successful proposal was for the design and manufacture of a pilot scale manufacturing plant to produce nanofibres for use in the medical filtration industry.
At the launch, held at Deakin University in Geelong, the Higher Education Minister Peter Hall said the project was a “great example of how Geelong can build on its existing strengths to create new industry opportunities”.
Cytomatrix CEO Mark Kirkland said “The short nanofibre technology is truly world leading and has enormous potential. At the centre of the nanotechnology is a nanofibre machine invented by Deakin, built by Austeng and used by Cytomatrix – We don’t want to sell the fibres” (see attached Geelong Advertiser article headed “City’s hi-tech future is here” dated 31/08/12).


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During the lockdown in the country, several flight tickets were cancelled by default by airline operators, but these refunds also ended up in the semi-closed wallets owned by travel agents’ OTAs.
Kumar said both refunds and payment settlements for successful bookings are credited into the travel agent’s or the OTA’s account typically after every 20 days. Mystifly’s product helps shorten the payment settlement cycle to within 24 hours.
‘We work with a combination of small and large airlines globally and we also wholesale supply networks who provide us with airfare inventory in bulk. But today as we grow, we are partnering directly with airline operators instead, and enabling a far higher retailing capability for airline brands with our tools, when compared to their existing capability,’ Kumar said.
The fresh investment will help Mystifly strengthen its product and technology, data science & machine learning capabilities and address airline payments inefficiency.
Kumar said Mystifly reported profits in the last fiscal, and that the startup initially didn’t raise any external funds in the first six years of operations. Mystifly’s previous fundraise was reported in 2016 when it had raised $5 million from Recruit Holdings group.


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Apple Takes Home ‘Displays Of The Year’ Awards For iPhone X And iPad Pro
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as the annual Display Industry Awards, which take place at Display Week, let that sink in.
Now that it has, it’s also worth noting that Apple has won big at those awards, taking home the Displays of the Year accolade for iPhone X and iPad Pro.
As with any award shows, the display award is intended to try and highlight and reward companies which are attempting to go above and beyond in order to push the technology forward rather than stagnating and sticking to the tech which is already available. In this particular instance, the annual trade show was looking for “high-quality, innovative” work that could be happening in the world of small-screen panels and has decided to reward Apple for what it’s done with iPhone X and iPad Pro.
As far as the 2018 awards go, only products which were available during the 2017 calendar year were applicable for consideration. The stunning 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro displays have been recognized and rewarded for the ProMotion technology which introduced a 120Hz refresh rate and instantly and visually makes all motion content on Apple’s iPad Pro range a lot smoother and pleasing to the eye. From a user perspective, the ProMotion tech dramatically improves scrolling, gaming environments, the playback of movies, and Apple Pencil integration.
Apple’s flagship smartphone – iPhone X – has also been recognized for its stunning edge-to-edge 5.8-inch OLED panel with 458 ppi. This is the first time that Apple has slapped an OLED panel into an iPhone, offering HDR and True Tone as well as an experience which includes no physical buttons for navigating UI:
The 5.8-in. Super Retina display features resolution of 458 ppi and is the first OLED panel to match the standard set by prior iPhone generations, delivering striking colors, true blacks, a million-to-one contrast ratio and superior, system-wide color management. The HDR display supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, which together serve to further heighten the image quality of photo and video content. In addition, True Tone dynamically adjusts the white balance of the display to match surrounding light for a more natural, paper-like viewing experience.
Apple, as well as all other companies who won awards, such as Sharp and Kolon Industries, will be presented with their awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Wednesday, May 23rd.


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Flat Panel TV Shipments Expected to Fall in the U.S. for the First Time Ever
"The U.S. flat-panel television market has never declined on an annual basis, even at the height of the recession in 2008 and 2009," noted Lisa Hatamiya, TV research analyst for IHS. "The decline starting this year suggests that demand may have crested for the mature U.S. TV market. Sales in the United States now are being driven by consumers who are replacing their older flat-panel sets with new models boasting more advanced features. This contrasts with developing regions of the world where vibrant, untapped markets remain for buyers making their first-ever purchase of flat-panel sets."
Perhaps part of the problem isn't that there hasn't been a whole lot of innovation to temp TV viewers into upgrading their current sets. The allure of ditching those big and bulky rear-projection screens for a flat panel LCD helped drive the market early on, and it didn't hurt that prices steadily declined over the years. But for those who already own an LCD TV, upgrading to a more expensive LED-backlit panel or a 3D model apparently just isn't enough to fuel continued growth in the market as a whole, though IHS iSuppli says LED TVs are expected to see rapid double-digit growth in the upcoming years.


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In a report released yesterday, Roth Capital from Roth Capital maintained a Buy rating on Energous (WATT – Research Report), with a price target of $4.00. The company’s shares closed last Friday at $2.52, close to its 52-week low of $1.71.
Energous has an analyst consensus of Moderate Buy, with a price target consensus of $4.00.
Based on Energous’ latest earnings release for the quarter ending March 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $145.1K and GAAP net loss of $8.53 million. In comparison, last year the company earned revenue of $61.48K and had a GAAP net loss of $8.6 million.
TipRanks has tracked 36,000 company insiders and found that a few of them are better than others when it comes to timing their transactions. See which 3 stocks are most likely to make moves following their insider activities.
Energous Corp. engages in the development of technology that enables wireless charging for electronic devices. It focuses on the product, WattUp, a wire-free charging technology that will transform the way consumers and industries charge and power electronic devices at home, in the office and car. The company was founded by Michael Aaron Leabman on October 30, 2012 and is headquartered in San Jose, CA.


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Here is The Roundup, Edition 41, bringing you the best from around the web from the past two weeks!
Blast from the Past
There has been a great deal of back and forth about celiac disease and the benefits (or lack thereof) of a gluten-free diet. On one hand, several news outlets have jumped on the story that non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a myth, and that the true culprit for these digestive disorders is the FODMAP foods found in wheat. On the other hand, The New York Times explained how celiac disease is actually 5 times more prevalent now than it was 50 years ago, which has nothing to do with diagnostic techniques. And even though ‘gluten-free’ is all the rage, only 17% of Americans with celiac disease even know they have it. People of all ages are being diagnosed, and those who are in the dark about their condition are at higher risk for a myriad of diseases, including autoimmune disease and cancer.
I covered this exact issue in 2013 when I wrote about the 50 Shades of Gluten Intolerance. There are thousands of people who don’t realize they’re having an immune response to the various proteins found in wheat (not just gluten), and many more simply have a reaction to gluten that resolves when gluten is removed from the diet. Unfortunately, the mainstream media has taken the slant that those who are say they are experiencing benefits from a gluten-free diet are misinformed, and that gluten sensitivity is all in their heads. But if a person truly feels better after removing gluten-containing grains from their diet, there’s no reason for them to continue eating these foods.
While we may not completely understand non-celiac gluten sensitivity, it’s clear that there are many people who have significantly improved their health by avoiding wheat and other gluten-containing products; these folks should feel confident in their decision to avoid these foods for their continued good health. For more information about how wheat and/or gluten sensitivity can affect your health, check out my article: Is Gluten Sensitivity Real?
- Lift weights, live longer: Stronger muscles may actually mean a longer life according to this recent 18-year long study.
- Wow! Fascinating work being done by a team of researchers, including Jeff Leach, on the human gut microbiome.
- Winter isn’t all bad. Cooler weather triggers shivering in the body which may count toward regular exercise.
- A new study shows five distinct neurobiologic bases of the craving for carbohydrates.
- Exercise protects us from the damage caused by stress-induced depression.
Worth a Look
- The Sleep-Mood-Diet Conundrum: another way our modern lifestyle is mismatched with our evolutionary heritage and biology.
- “Nudge” marketing: Does the layout of your grocery store encourage you to eat healthily, or to go straight for the junk?
- How do you get your kids to eat healthy food without complaining? Find out for free at this week’s Wellness Family Summit.
- Do you suffer from FOMO? This is a legitimate psychological problem for modern man.
- Safe, fun exercise in winter is possible. Be prepared and make smart decisions when heading outdoors to exercise in cold weather.
- Contribute to this Kickstarter campaign and reserve your own box of a grain-free flour blend by the Gluten Free Girl.
For the Foodies
- Life Cooks: Pumpkin, Rocket & Parmesan Salad
- Civilized Caveman: Sweet Plantain Guacamole
- The Salty Kitchen: Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
- Naked Cuisine: Red Curry With Pumpkin
- Garlic + Zest: Braised Lamb Shanks
- So Let’s Hang Out: Tomato & Coconut Crock-Pot Chicken Curry
- Plaid and Paleo: Pork Shoulder Ramen
- Hold the Grain: Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Leelalicious: Healthy Baked Apple Chips
- The Foodie Teen: Maple and Pumpkin Spice Macaroons
- Simple Playful Fare: Green Tea Ice Cream


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Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update spotted for the AT&T Galaxy S3
The Galaxy S3 is still quite popular with consumers despite the launch of the successor Galaxy S4 and, therefore, Samsung fans in the U.S. will welcome the news.
The latest information comes courtesy of GottaBeMobile. A user on reddit apparently noticed the software on GFXBenchmark. The new firmware build was listed for the Samsung Galaxy SGH-I747, which is the model number for the AT&T variant of the Galaxy S3.
"It appears that the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update for AT&T may have been spotted lurking inside of a benchmark ahead of its eventual release for the aging flagship," reports GottaBeMobile.
GFXBenchmark lists the build number as JSS15J and the build appears to be from September. Therefore, a strong possibility exists that this is a test build for the AT&T variant of the Galaxy S3. Benchmarks can be forged, however, which means the authenticity of the listing is circumspect.
On the other hand, if the listing is legit, Galaxy S3 owners in the U.S. won't have to wait long before the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean software update reaches AT&T users.
Earlier in September, Samsung had disclosed that the Galaxy S3, as well as the latest Galaxy S4 would be receiving the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update in October. The update is expected to add support for the Galaxy Gear as well.
"Android 4.3 is coming to the Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 4 in October along with the update that'll add Galaxy Gear functionality to the GS 4," reported Engadget recently.
In July, we reported that both the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 both would skip the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update and jump directly to Android 4.3 instead.
Moreover, in August this year, German carrier Deutsche Telekom had confirmed that the international variant of the Galaxy S3 would bypass Android 4.2.2 and jump directly to Android 4.3.
If the GFXBenchmark listing proves to be authentic, consumers in the U.S. can look forward to the Android 4.3 OS soon.
Samsung confirms Android 4.3 Jelly Bean for Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3 in October
The Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 will get an Android 4.3 Jelly Bean software update in October.
Samsung Galaxy S3 to skip Android 4.2.2 and jump straight to Android 4.3, confirms Deutsche Telekom
German carrier Deutsche Telekom has confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will leapfrog to the latest Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
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Huawei Nabs The Top Spot In China In Q1 2017
According to the research firm Canalys, Huawei shipped close to 21 million smartphones in China in the first quarter of 2017 and claimed an 18 percent market share.
'Tokyo Ghoul' Season 3 Delayed By Its Live-Action Movie? Ken Kenaki Returns With Another Identity?
"Tokyo Ghoul" season 3's release is delayed and there are countless speculations as to why it is being pushed back. Reports claim that the show is to give way to "One Punch Man" and "My Hero Acdemia" but new rumors say that it's lack of materials and storyline as well as its live-action movie are causing the delay.
Here's The Game Lineup For PlayStation Plus This May
Sony just revealed its upcoming PlayStation Plus lineup for the month of May. Check them out here!
'One Piece' Manga On A Break; Chapter 864 Arrives In May With The Big Mom Assassination Plot Backfiring On Luffy And Capone, Jinbei Dies?
"One Piece" chapter 864 will not come out next week as it will be on a scheduled break following a holiday. Spoilers and predictions reveal to see Big Mom going furious for the destruction of the Mother Caramel portrait and fans might see a character dying.


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Vintage Cash Cow was Nominated For Startup of the Year In the Leeds Digital Festival Awards.
Also, Vintage Cash Cow announced today that it has been nominated for Startup of the Year at the Leeds Digital Festival.
The Leeds Digital Festival Awards 2018 in association with Amsource Technology and Ward Hadaway, recognise the commitment and success of individuals and companies within the Leeds City Region.
The Leeds Digital Festival Awards 2018 will take place with an evening of celebration at Headrow House, on 25th April, and will see a panel of six established judges award the winning nominees.
Co-founder David Weaver commented:
“It’s great to have our hard work recognised, especially in the thriving Leeds startup scene. We’re all big innovation junkies at Vintage Cash Cow and we’re proud to have developed a fast and easy way for people to sell their old and unused vintage things.”
Cash Cow is a free online service, they buy vintage items that are difficult to sell elsewhere. The service is the first of its kind and has enjoyed growing popularity since its launch in 2015.
In that time Cash Cow has paid out over £700,000 for items that have just been gathering dust in homes all over the UK. As a result of their dedication, they’ve received over 1500 5* customer reviews.
Cash Cow has celebrated a string of successes in the last year
They’ve undertaken a sponsorship deal with A+E networks, attracted a dream team of investors, and have big (secret) plans to celebrate their next anticipated milestone: the ten millionth item they’ve received.
The nomination highlights the hard-working people behind Cash Cow. With a team so invested in customer experience and innovation, the future looks interesting for this ambitious startup.
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Pakistan’s severe gender inequality in the banked population may soon change with the country’s growing awareness of the need of promoting gender equality.
The Covid-19 epidemic has profoundly altered our way of life, resulting in two-year-long lockdowns in several nations. As everyone tried to adapt, the impoverished and those without access to financial facilities were impacted the hardest. In Pakistan, 91 percent of the population was unbanked, making it more difficult for low-income individuals to save, borrow, transfer money, or even establish a company. The epidemic has illuminated the significance of financial inclusion, which comprises a variety of services ranging from basic banking to pensions, credit, and insurance.
Technology plays an important role in fostering financial inclusion. In Pakistan, Raast, a person-to-person mobile payment service, has enrolled close to 15 million customers who have conducted transactions totaling Rs 100 billion. Nonetheless, the gender gap in financial inclusion must be addressed, since women are disproportionately affected. According to Jameel Ahmed, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, just one woman has access to a bank account for every three males. This discrepancy may be remedied with gender-conscious techniques and goods.
Financial inclusion may benefit women on three levels: as entrepreneurs in fintech, as professionals at fintechs or other financial institutions, and as users. Fintechs play an important role in bringing more women into the banking system. Women entrepreneurs are gradually entering the fintech industry, with Tez Finance and Oraan paving the way. Tez Financial, created by Naureen Hyat, offers nano-loans to the unbanked masses disregarded by traditional banks, using smartphone data, purchase habits, and social behaviour to determine the most suitable solution for their requirements. Halima Iqbal created Oraan, which focuses on savings, insurance, and savings products utilising the Rotating Savings and Credit Association (ROSCA) concept.
Financial inclusion is crucial for eliminating poverty and improving life, particularly for poorer women. When a woman establishes an account, she utilises it to develop her savings, invest in her children’s education, and make long-term business investments. It puts her on the road to more financial stability, privacy, and autonomy. According to the Global Market Intelligence Quantamental Research Team at S&P, enterprises with female CEOs and CFOs saw stock market growth and increased profitability. In fintech, gender-inclusive methods and solutions may enable women to take charge of their money and provide them the tools they need to succeed.
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Airtel has launched a new programme #AirtelThanks ahead of the festive season. The company is offering free Netflix and ZEE5 subscription. The telecom company has partnered with Netflix to offer a free three-month subscription worth Rs. 1500 to its postpaid users. The free subscription is available for all Airtel postpaid and prepaid customers with an ARPU (average revenue per user) of Rs. 199.
ALSO READ | Amazon Great Indian Festival: Best deals on Day One
In another exclusive offer, Airtel has announced Rs 2,000 cashback on upgrading to a new 4G smartphone.
“As customers upgrade their smartphone this festive season, we want to delight them with exclusive benefits under our recently launched customer program #AirtelThanks. We invite all our customers to make the most of the offer,” said Vani Venkatesh, Chief Marketing Officer on the launch of the exclusive festive offers.
Airtel Diwali Offer: Know how to avail Rs 2,000 cashback
Users can purchase the new 4G smartphone from anystore. In order to avail the offer, the user will need to use a 4G SIM in a new 4G smartphone and get it activated before October 31, 2018. Cashback will be given in form of coupons to the customers My Airtel account. 40 coupons will be generated each worth Rs 50. Customers can redeem the coupons through recharges on select plans of Rs 199 and higher as well as on postpaid bill payment of Rs 399 and above, the company said.
ALSO READ | Diwali with Mi sale: Grab the Redmi Note 5 Pro at Re 1 today
Earlier, Airtel launched new recharge pack for its prepaid users to take on Reliance Jio. The new recharge plan offers talk time, data, and rate cutter benefits. Airtel has introduced a prepaid recharge plan of Rs 398 which takes on Jio’s Rs 398 and Rs 349 prepaid plans. The company is coming up with new packs and benefits regularly to take on the fast-growing competition from Jio.


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Published 9:30 a.m. ET Nov. 9, 2018 |
Dylan Sprouse brings Shake Shack burgers to the Victoria's Secret show for his model girlfriend, while Kelsea Ballerini, The Chainsmokers and Rita. (Nov. 9)
NEW YORK – Just months after giving birth, models Candice Swanepoel and Behati Prinsloo show off their fabulous post-baby bodies at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
The annual fashion show will be held at the New York City on Thursday, and will mark the end of the road for Adriana Lima as well as the return of two new moms.
More: Adriana Lima's emotional final Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: 5 moments from the event
Swanepoel strutted down the runway only five months after the birth of her son, Ariel, with fiancé Hermann Nicoli in June.
The 30-year-old South African supermodel looked like she did not miss a beat, rocking a black bra and thong encrusted in sequins, paired with a shimmering corset and spiky "wings." Tucked in a high-waisted corset underwear and a T-shirt with a pink and gold wings, pink and gold.
South African model Candice Swanepoel walks the runway at the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 8, 2018 at Pier 94 in New York City. – Every year, the Victoria's Secret show brings together some of the most famous models together for a glittery catwalk extravaganza. It's the most spectacular event of the year (800 million tune in annually) with around 12 million USD spent on the spectacle together according to Harper's Bazaar. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP / Getty Images ORIG FILE ID: AFP_1AP1ON (Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY, AFP / Getty Images)
She wrote about her excitement to return to Victoria's Secret catwalk, posting on Instagram Tuesday: "Slightly excited …! So happy the @victoriassecret show is back in NYC!"
Prinsloo walked the runway nine months after giving her second child with husband and "The Voice" star Adam Levine.
The 30-year-old model is back with a three-year hiatus from the show to focus on her children with the Maroon 5 front man, 2-year-old Dusty Rose and 7-month-old Gio Grace. She gave birth in February 2018, last walking in the show back in November 2015.
Prinsloo posted about her triumphant return on Wednesday, writing on Instagram: "Felt like i never left, i love my @victoriassecret family so much, my first show was 2007 i'm nervous and more grateful LETS DO THIS. "
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2018/11/09/victorias-secret-fashion-show-behati-prinsloos-post-baby-body-stuns-candice- swanepoel / 1940623002 /


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There has been a lot of growth and development in Africa’s communications infrastructure. The deployment of broadband fiber optic cables along the coast has in a great way, helped to pace the revolution. Based on GSMA’s report, roughly half a billion Africans own a smartphone. ”Some of these key developments across the continent have been responsible for spiraling the growth of the e-commerce sector in particular pockets of Africa”, LogupdateAfrica reports.
With these developments, Mckinsey’s Global forecast that Africans could be buying $75 billion worth of goods and services online by 2025.
”Interestingly, Nigeria, the continent’s largest consumer market, revenue has doubled each year since 2010. Five years ago, Internet penetration in Africa was just was about one-third of the world average and in 2016, it improved to 28.6 percent, which is just 61 percent of the global average. This clearly indicates that the retailers no longer have the fear that they have been selling the products to people who aren’t online”, as quoted by LogUpdate Africa.
Eyeing potential in Africa’s e-commerce market
Experts say that there remains a lot of positivity for Africa’s ecommerce market. Speaking at the opening panel session, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo, Glyn Hughes estimated that by 2050, the continent’s population could reach 2 billion people, representing 20 percent of the world’s population, while it was also the world’s youngest [population median age] continent and would remain so. “This means there is an increased labour force potential and huge potential consumer market,” he said.
He added, “With regards to the internet connection, 28 percent of the continent is actually connected to the avid use of internet versus 54 percent of global average. Leading the ways are Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa in terms of connectivity.”
Room for improvement
One of the major areas for improvement identified by Atlas Air Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Graham Perkins was in customs rules and regulations, which he said in some countries “dated back decades”.
”In some places 100 percent of shipments required inspection by customs, while in others transit cargo could not process through customs, which meant it would be impossible to set up a regional hub in that country. Wealthy Africans also worry about being scammed, which prevents them from buying high-value items and putting their financial details online. On the other hand, Cash on Delivery (COD) poses to be a problem for sellers: theft, the cost of returns, which wipe out losses from successful sales, couriers returning cash late, etc.”, he stated.
”One of the emerging solutions is mobile-based e-commerce third party payments.There exists a huge opportunity for startups which can act as a trusted third party between buyer and seller to handle money”, he continued.
Those who are in the e-tailer business would look at the fast and on time delivery of the products to the end customer. Since the Logistics infrastructure is not adequate in the African countries, e-commerce sector is yet to reach where it should be. The last mile delivery boys on bikes ride on the poor road infrastructure to ensure timely delivery of the product.
Perkins suggested the need for African countries to create a free trade zone as this could benefit e-commerce retailers and air cargo businesses investing in regional hubs.
New wave of technology: How Logistics can drive E-commerce
Since Africa’s complex Logistics requirement encompasses multiple logistics vendors to move goods from one region to another, what happens is that the data get processed in different levels and resulting in transparency issues between service providers and customers. Technology can bring multiple vendors together to a single platform where they can exchange data and work in a synchronised manner. E.g: Shipment is booked from Nairobi by Company A, Moved to Mombasa through a Bus Fleet company B. Delivered locally in Mombasa by bikers associated with Company C, and all of them are hooked to each other so if customers track the package on a website they will be able to get full information.
It is an unarguable fact that the operations of e-commerce companies such as Jumia, Konga, Carmudi, Easy Taxi, Everjobs, Jovago, Kaymu, Lamudi, Vendito and Zando across 23 African countries has greatly helped to facilitate the e-commerce boom in the continent.
With regards to the E-commerce boom in Africa, Perkins pointed out, ”I would say that Africans are ready to take [e-commerce] on, the question is, is Africa itself willing to take it on?”.
Culled from Logupdateafrica.


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According to a survey by DNV GL where a total of 4,500 people were asked about food purchasing habits, the results indicated that consumers are becoming more and more conscious about food safety and it seems to be one of the top requirements.
One of the effects of Covid-19 is that consumers are becoming more and more conscious about food safety and it seems to be one of the top requirements and want more information on product content and its safety. According to a survey by DNV GL where a total of 4,500 people were asked about food purchasing habits, the results indicated that the primary focus was on what impacted consumers directly as individuals.
Half of the consumers were interested in more information on food safety and health. Broader sustainability issues, such as environmental and social aspects were lower on the list of priorities.
People welcomed more information and transparency on product content and on how food safety is secured from farm to fork. This was followed by hygiene practices adopted to prevent contamination and allergens or potentially dangerous ingredients. Sustainable packaging and food waste also ranked high in the survey that found geographical differences influenced by local legislation, context or recent scandals. Almost half said they took food safety for granted to a “large extent” for packaged food, while around a third did this for loose and unbranded packaged food.
Some of the key findings
- Players in the food & beverage industry were well aware of the overall importance of food safety. Protecting consumers was the most important driver (88%), followed by compliance with laws and regulations (69%) and customer requirements (61%)
- Operational risks were by far viewed as the main threat related to food safety (77%). Lack of food safety culture was number 2 on the list (31%), above compliance (28%) and food fraud vulnerability (18%).
- Requirements from existing customers (79%) and from new customers (46%) were among the top drivers for certifying food safety systems. Certification was also a way to improve food safety programmes for 54%.
- Less than 1 in 10 food & beverage companies considered that new digital technologies contributed to enhance food safety today. In 3 years almost 4 out of 10 saw digitalization supporting food safety.
DNV GL is a certification body that operates in more than 100 countries. The survey involved 4,500 consumers in March 2020 across 15 countries in Europe, North America, South America and Asia.
Respondents had full or somewhat trust in packaged products from brands at 85 per cent, which was more than non-packaged (loose) items at 80 per cent or packaged unbranded ones with 69 per cent. However, less than half trusted brands fully. A total of 90 per cent trusted the information brands provide on packaged products, while only 64 per cent trust data related to packaged unbranded products.
Joy Franks-Laing, global food and beverage manager at DNV GL-Business Assurance, said food safety was still top of the agenda for consumers. “However, the survey results seem to indicate that while food and beverage manufacturers and retailers may have invested considerably in protecting consumers, they are not 100 percent convinced that all products are safe to consume.”
Only a fifth of consumers surveyed regularly used QR-codes to access more information. However, in areas where distrust in food safety was higher and seen more as an individual rather than company responsibility, QR-codes were more widely used. If they gave access to detailed information on a product’s content and authenticity, two thirds of consumers were more inclined to use them.
European respondents tend to trust food manufacturers and providers more than consumers in other geographies and are less active in seeking product information. In Asia, more would welcome information about food safety issues. Southeast Asia and countries in South Europe pay higher attention to social issues such as healthy working conditions.o


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PUBG Corporation revokes Tencent Games’ publishing rights for PUBG Mobile in India
In response to the rising tensions at the Indo-China border, the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps earlier this year in June. The government then issued a second ban to include 47 more apps in July and, earlier this month, released a third order to include 118 more apps. The latest ban included popular battle royale titles PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite, which resulted in a $34billion dip in market value for publisher Tencent. In an attempt to help the game’s overall life in India, PUBG Mobile developer PUBG Corp. has now released a statement revoking Tencent Games’ publishing rights in the country.
For the unaware, PUBG Corp. is a South Korean gaming company that owns the intellectual property for PUBG and is engaged in publishing and developing the game on multiple platforms like PC, Xbox, and Playstation. Tencent Games, on the other hand, is the Chinese company that develops the game for the mobile platform and is responsible for publishing it in various markets. By revoking Tencent Games’ publishing rights for the game in India, PUBG Corp. aims to address some of the Indian government’s security concerns and presumably re-release PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite in the country.
In a statement on its website, PUBG Corp. said:
In light of recent developments, PUBG Corporation has made the decision to no longer authorize the PUBG Mobile franchise to Tencent Games in India. Moving forward, PUBG Corporation will take on all publishing responsibilities within the country. As the company explores ways to provide its own PUBG experience for India in the near future, it is committed to doing so by sustaining a localized and healthy gameplay environment for fans.
It’s worth noting that the statement only addresses Tencent Games’ publishing rights for the PUBG Mobile franchise in India and doesn’t shed light on the company’s role (or that of its subsidiaries) in the game’s development. Both PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite are developed by a Tencent-owned studio based in Shenzhen, China. As of now, it isn’t clear whether PUBG Corp. will also take on development responsibilities for the PUBG Mobile franchise in the country. Publishing rights usually center around development financing and marketing and release, and do not necessarily cover the actual game development and coding process, though this could vary by contract.
The statement doesn’t include any information about a potential release date.


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Apple is known for its walled garden- a closed ecosystem that can be leveraged only by priviledged ones who also agree to its terms. And while this is true at the software end, things are a lot different when it comes to hardware. In fact, if you put aside the Bionic chips- the SoC that the company has developed and nurtured in-house since its first iPhone, Apple should be more aptly called the designer and vendor of iPhones than the manufacturer.
To drive home the point, an iPhone generally houses memory chips from Samsung, display from Sharp, LG, and Samsung, flash memory from Toshiba, baseband processor from Qualcomm, Audio chipset from Cirrus Logic, and many other components from many other vendors finally assembled by Foxconn. Yes, the company does tweak those components but it still doesn’t deliver the kind of flexibility and control that Apple would like to have.
Now it seems as if things are about to change- at least to some extent. A recent report from Bloomberg has suggested that the company is now working to create display panels on its own. And not just any display panel, but the next-gen MicroLED displays. The company has established a plant in California where it works on its technology secretly.
But why displays?
There are two reasons- 1. Displays are one of the most expensive components and are something that until now has been largely controlled by its competitors; 2. Building displays is a very complex task and given the volumes of Apple’s demands, it often faces bottlenecks in its supply chains.
So, by creating MicroLED displays in-house, the company not only aims to take the technological superiority but is also trying to cut-down the interdependence of its supply channels.
But as it is turning out, for now, creating these new MicroLED displays is actually much more complex- putting the public release years away. As for the display itself, MicroLEDs are known to be much brighter and power-efficient than conventional LCD or OLED displays.
Whenever it’s done- maybe a year or two from now- we can expect these displays to first debut in wearables like Apple Watch. As building smaller displays would be easier and the gadget would benefit the most the new-gained power efficiency. As for the iPhones, even insiders agree that they would continue to stick with current OLED screens for some time and we shouldn’t expect any ground-shifting for at least 3-5 years.


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Germany, Europe’s largest auto market, saw plugin electric vehicles take 23.6% share in June 2021, up almost 3x from 8.6% share in June 2020. The bestselling EV in June was the Tesla Model 3, at over 4,400 units, though the diminutive Volkswagen e-Up! led H1 2021 as a whole. Overall auto volumes in June were some 15% down compared to June 2019.
June’s combined plugin result of 23.6% saw full battery electrics (BEVs) take 12.2%, ahead of plugin hybrids (PHEVs) for the first time this year, with the latter at 11.4%. This is a strong swing towards BEVs from recent weightings. The 2021 year-to-date cumulative plugin share now stands at 22.3%, up from 7.8% at this point in 2020.
Old-school (non-electric-assist) diesels fell below 20% share for the first time in decades, from 30.6% a year ago. By the end of 2021, we should see a monthly result where BEVs alone outperform diesels.
Combustion (petrol + diesel) powertrains combined were below 60% share for the first time in 2021, down significantly from over 82% in June 2020:
It’s almost inevitable now that the end of 2021 will see these old-school combustion powertrains fall below 50% of the market.
Most Popular BEVs
We don’t yet have detailed BEV model data from Germany’s KBA, but we do know that the Tesla brand sold 4,466 total units in June, all (or effectively all) of which must have been the Tesla Model 3. This almost certainly puts the Model 3 as the best selling BEV in June, since the only rival was the Volkswagen e-Up! which has been steady at around 2,500 monthly units this year.
However, the little VW e-Up! still holds on to the H1 2021 top spot, with at least a 1,000 unit margin over the Tesla in the cumulative tally. Before we get the KBA model data later this month (look out for Jose’s report), here’s a reminder of the previous state-of-play up until the end of May:
Note that both the Volkswagen ID.4 (around 1,400/month recently) and Skoda Enyaq (around 1,600/month recently) have been climbing, and if one were to combine these VW group MEB-platform SUV siblings, they look set to take the top spot for 2021 a whole. Their other MEB-SUV sibling, the Audi Q4 e-tron, is now starting to deliver in volume also, putting the triplet-tag-team even further ahead of any rival.
I wrote in last month’s report that May or June 2021 should be the last time in Germany that plugins see less than 25% market share, and I’m still confident that the next month (or three) will see 25% as the new baseline, certainly before the end of Q3. The next 3 months are the ones to watch; the rate of acceleration in Q3 usually dictates the overall trend for the year.
We are still potentially on track for December to record over 35% plugin share (it brought 26.6% last year) and possibly even skim past 40% share. What do you think? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.
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When I visited Paso Robles this summer on an excursion before the Wine Bloggers Conference, I attended a special session sponsored by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. The subject was plans to establish 11 new viticultural areas within the greater Paso Robles AVA.
In the US, wine regions are called American Viticultural Areas or AVA. An AVA can also have sub-regions (also called AVA) provided that these smaller regions have climactic, geologic and/or historical attributes that make them unique as a grape growing area.
On October 9, the US Department of the Treasury announced its final ruling establishing the new areas. This historic announcement concludes a seven-year process by a dedicated group of Paso Robles vintners and winegrape growers who created a unified approach to develop a comprehensive master plan for the greater Paso Robles American Viticultural Area.
The 11 AVAs are as follows: Adelaida District, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek, San Miguel District, Santa Margarita Ranch, and the Templeton Gap District.
This is a big deal. Until the ruling, Paso Robles was the largest unsubdivided AVA in California with about 614,000 acres. By comparison, Napa Valley is about one third the size and has 16 AVA within its boundaries. Just as Stags Leap, Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder and Rutherford have created unique identities in Napa, these new AVA provide the same opportunity in Paso.
“These new AVAs will be a powerful tool for wineries to explain why certain grapes are particularly well suited to certain parts of the appellation, and why some wines show the characteristics they do while other wines, from the same or similar grapes, show differently,” said Jason Haas, general manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard and Paso Robles AVA Committee member. “Ultimately, the new AVAs will allow these newly created sub-regions to develop identities for themselves with a clarity impossible in a single large AVA.”
AVA labeling provides information to consumers and trade about what is in the bottle, helping them make a better informed buying decision based on expectations of the region. Thanks to a conjunctive labeling law spearheaded by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance in 2007, the Paso Robles AVA retains top billing on a wine label with the individual districts serving as a way to fine-tune location and potential character of wines.
"Our AVA is an incredibly diverse region that has taken its rightful place on the world wine stage,” said Steve Lohr, chairman and CEO of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, and former chairman of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. “These sub appellations will allow growers and vintners to tell their stories more clearly, which in turn will give consumers and the trade a much greater understanding of Paso’s diversity and complexity."
The official map of the 11 Viticultural Areas, as well as a comparison grid detailing climate, rainfall, topography, etc., is available on www.pasowine.com/media-center/the-avas-of-paso-robles.php.


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Just days after Ebay summarily booted each of the gold farmers along with other sellers of virtual goods away from their auction kingdom, Blizzard themselves have come down very frustrating to the Chinese best wow gold farmers.
This past year, Blizzard banned nearly 60,000 Wow cataclysm release is the reason breaking their tos and it looks a lot like this year it will function as gold sellers as well as in-game spammers who will be within the knife. Blizzard announced within the World of Warcraft forums these news:
Several individuals know, the latest content patch, as well as many fun new content additions, contains technical counter-measures meant to combat in-game gold spamming. Our efforts to relieve in-game abuse and build an exciting, safe environment for everyone are never-ending.


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FRENCH dairy brand Président has been appearing on screens with a new campaign to promote its cheese and butter brands.
The ‘Time for a good life’ campaign is made up of three new ads, each taking place in a quintessentially French setting. One features a young couple enjoying a romantic picnic in a lavender field; another, a musical al fresco family dinner; and a couple shopping at a market.
Président’s new ads will appear via a nationwide outdoor poster campaign, digital advertising activity and through the brand’s ongoing sponsorship of Channel 4’s Come Dine With Me, which it shares with Seriously Cheddar.
Support for the campaign will include in-store activity as well as promotions and sampling activity throughout the autumn.
Parent firm Lactallis McLelland said the ads have been created to appeal not only to the brand’s existing core audience, but also younger consumers in the 28-34 year old demographic.
Mike Chatters, sales director for Lactallis McLelland said: “The new creative underlines the fact that Président enables people to slow down and savour the moment and we expect the campaign to strike a chord with both existing and new consumers – driving heightened awareness of Président cheese and butter.
The ‘Time for a good life’ campaign represents part of a £2m marketing investment in the brand that Lactallis McLelland claims will reach 12m consumers in 2018.


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- Business Resources
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Real-time Business headlines• Rick Haglund: Neither gubernatorial candidate is addressing what Michigan's economy really needs 7:13 AM
What most citizens are hearing from Gov. Rick Snyder is that he plans more of the same in a second term. Challenger Mark Schauer vows to undo what Snyder has done.
• Iserv taps GR Current director to lead internet provider 4:00 PM
Jeff Royce is the first president since the 19-year-old Iserv was purchased two years ago by the Boston-based 382 Communications.
• Tim Skubick: Aramark is gift that keeps on giving to the Democrats 8:46 AM
The Democrats are gloating over all the miscues including Aramark employees being banned from the prisons for getting "too close" to the inmates not to mention the quantity and quality of the grub they were serving.
• Kohl's plans to hire more than 2,000 Michigan workers for the holidays 4:09 PM
Hiring began in September, and most jobs will be filled by mid-November.
• Preview new Chrysler ad featuring Detroit Tigers MVP Miguel Cabrera 10:01 AM
A new national ad campaign for the 2015 Chrysler 200 features a hometown hero, Detroit Tigers MVP Miguel "Miggy" Cabrera.


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VENUS Fashion hosts FIRST-EVER Influencer Event
On August 30st, 2018, VENUS Fashion hosted its FIRST-EVER influencer event, Girl About Town at Soho Beach House in Miami.
Partnering with a diverse range of influencers, the online swimwear and clothing brand revealed their latest collection, showed off their apparel inclusivity and celebrated women everywhere. Guests were treated to cocktails, light bites, styling tips from CelebrityStylist Danny Santiago, and custom-made denim jackets.
The fashion preview and party was hosted by local and national influencers: Lisa Jauregui, Jocelyn Castillo, Afroza Khan, Natalie Engelbrecht, Karol Velasquez, Jasmine Tosh Stewart, Julie Manganelli, Tinseley Onuegbu, Cecile Charltin, Joan Brown, Nina Lacher, Ashley Aspinwall, Ky Jade, Chante Burkett, Valeria Barrientos, Kelly Saks, and Stephanie Diaz.
Photos courtesy of World Red Eye


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LOCAL LUBRICANT BLENDING PLANT
The lubricant blending plant located at the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal in Muthurajawela is scheduled to be opened later this month.
A key objective of establishing a local plant is to provide high quality lubricants to the local market at a concessionary rate and reduce the quantity of imported lubricants.
Hyrax Oil, a Malaysian manufacturer of petroleum derivatives, has invested US$ 30 million in the project, which is expected to generate four million litres a month. Deputy Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Dr. Anoma Gamage said the products manufactured at the plant were planned to be exported as well.
The new plant is expected to generate annual revenue of 60 million dollars from Sri Lanka and its regional countries.